Beastly
by IneffableStorm
Summary: Vampires was all Yuki thought she had to worry about, but when a string of vicious killings becomes closer and closer to Cross Academy, she finds that there are things best left forgotten to time. With a Day Class student out for blood, the peace that her father seeks to create is in danger. Will Yuki be able to right the wrongs of vampires' past, or will things get hairy?
1. Hunt

"_And, in today's news, the Tundra Grey Wolf population is on a rapid decline over the past several decades…"_

"_...an increase of hunting in the area has resulted in a rapid decline of local wildlife…"_

"_...said to go extinct within the next couple decades, if not less…"_

"_...several attacks in more rural towns, with at least three dead, and two injured…"_

"_It came out of nowhere! The beast just shot out of the trees and…"_

"_Those damn glowing red eyes!..."_

"_...had such sharp, long fangs!"_

"_More hunters have gone missing in the past week. Local police have yet to find the bodies…"_

"_-can't confirm if this is a string of killings, or a case of bear attacks with the lack of physical evidence…"_

"_This just in, the corpses of several of the missing hunters have been found! And the scene is not what anyone expected!"_

"_...looks like an animal tore them to shreds. Game wardens and sheriffs are working together to identify the animal…"_

"'_This is unlike any animal attack we've ever seen,' says police chief…"_

* * *

Kaien Cross listened to the radio as he sat in his office. The recent events in the news deeply troubled the man. It sounded like another Level-E was running amok, killing humans while they were out in the woods hunting.

What was most troubling was the fact that each missing person case was getting closer to his school.

'_If things continue at this rate,' _the headmaster thought, staring out his large windows into the setting sun. '_Then the Level-E will reach the school within the month…'_

Adjusting his glasses, the blonde man sighed out heavily. He mulled over the situation before a knock sounded on his door.

"Come in," he called out.

The door opened and closed again, and Zero stood on the opposite side of his desk.

"Just coming to give my report. All of the Day Class students have been returned to their dorm, and the Night Class are in their classes. I'm about to go on patrol with Yuki. If there's nothing else you need, I'll be going now."  
"Wait, Zero." His words halted the silver-haired male from leaving. "I want you to do something for me. And, please, don't tell Yuki."

This caught his attention. Don't tell Yuki? Why would Cross want to hide anything from his daughter? He stared at him as he waited for an explanation or some sign in his expression, but the older of the two simply kept his body facing away from the young man, hands behind his back as he looked out on the campus before him.

* * *

"Did you hear about the murders?" whispered a girl with almost black hair.

"Murders?" asked one of the other girls in the group.

"Yeah,"confirmed another. "Hunters have been going missing lately, and the bodies that the police could find have all been torn to pieces."

"I thought they said those were animal maulings," mused another.

"No way! Have you ever seen a bear do that much mutilation to a person before?"

"What if it's rabid?"

"Oh, this is so scary!"

The talk about the dead hunters halted temporarily as a weary Zero entered the classroom. The students had thought it was their teacher, but were relieved to find it was only the sleep-deprived boy. Their chatter quickly resumed, some questioning the more pronounced bags under his eyes as opposed to most other days, while others went on with their previous line of conversation before the brief interruption.

Yuki looked at her fellow Disciplinary Committee member with worry. Sure, they usually got very little sleep because of their nighttime patrols, but he's never looked _this _exhausted before. Not to mention he hadn't showed up to his shift for the past few days.

Just before she could get up and make her way over to him, however, their teacher finally entered the room and told them all to sit in their seats.

She flashed him a concerned look but did as told.

'_I'll talk to him after class,'_ the brunette decided.

* * *

It seemed to take forever, but the bell finally rang, signalling the end of Day Class for the afternoon. Yuki looked around the crowd of students to try and spot the familiar mop of silver hair.

"Come on," she muttered to herself, worry creasing her forehead. "Where is he?.."

"If you're talking about Zero, he already left."

Sayori's voice startled the Cross girl, making her give a small yelp in surprise. Scratching the back of her neck nervously, the brunette gave a weak laugh.

"I'm sorry for shouting. You just startled me." It took a second for her words to registered. "He left already?"

The orange haired teen nodded. "Mhm. As soon as the bell rang, he was out the door. He looked like he was in a hurry."

This news made Yuki sigh, concern clear in her eyes. Where could he be off to when it was almost time to head over to the Moon Dormitories so as to keep the Day Class girls away from the Night Class students.

"Is everything okay with you two, Yuki?"

This made the brown-eyed girl grow flustered, the way she had stated it making it sound like the two of them were in a rough patch in their relationship. Quickly trying to dispel her worry, the teen waved her arms around frantically as she spoke.

"Huh? Wha? Of course not! Don't be silly! Everything's going just fine! I'm just a bit worried that he's overworking himself, that's all! There really isn't anything more than me wanting to make sure he's sleeping enough!"

She kept rambling, that is, until Sayori interrupted her.

"You should ask the Headmaster if he's noticed Zero's behavior. If anyone knows what's wrong, it's him."

This perked up the female member of the Disciplinary Committee.

"Hey, that's a good idea! Thanks, Sayori!" Waving over her shoulder, the brunette ran off, a smile gracing her lips. She wanted to find out what was the matter with her friend so that she could help him feel better again. Maybe he was sick and needed time off of patrols? She was sure to remember to bring it up with the Headmaster when she got there.

* * *

Knocking on the door, Yuki waited for a reply before entering the office. Once she heard her adoptive father say 'come in', she opened the door and peeked inside.

"Oh, Yuki. Isn't it a bit early for you to be giving your nightly report?"

"Uhm, yes, Headmaster, but I'm not here about that.."

"Really? Then, what is it, Yuki?"

"Well.. I noticed how tired Zero looked today, and I haven't seen him for patrol for the past few nights. I was wondering if he was sick, or having trouble sleeping, and if you might know why."

For a moment, the brunette could see the serious expression on Kaien's face, but it was quickly replaced with his usual dopey smile.

"Don't look so glum, my dear daughter! He's simply been running errands for me! I'm sorry for not informing you sooner, but I didn't think they would make him so tired. I'll be sure to give him a break. Now," he stood up. "It's about time for you to go to the Moon Dormitories. Don't want the Day Class girls to get there before you."

The short-haired girl nodded her head. "Right."

* * *

Yuki knew she should trust the headmaster. She knew that he only had her's, Zero's, and everyone else's best interests at heart. But the look that had briefly flashed over his features before he answered her was worrisome.

She wasn't one to pry into others' business unless she was assigned to confiscate contraband, but if this was affecting Zero's health, she wanted to help. That was probably why she ended up hiding behind a group of trees as she followed the lavender-eyed male through the gates leaving the academy grounds and into the woods.

They walked in silence for a while, the girl being sure to stay so far away so as not to be caught.

It was quite sudden that the solitary teen spun on his heel, the Bloody Rose gun's barrel was pointed directly at the tree trunk she was hiding behind. His expression was stony, and, if looks could kill, the Cross girl would be dead ten times over.

"Show yourself," Zero demanded.

Seeing she had no other choice, she slowly made her way out into the open with a nervous smile.

"Haha.. hey, Zero. Funny meeting you here."

"Yuki? Why were you following me?"

Sighing, she dropped all pretense and straightened up.

"You haven't been to classes or patrols, and I was really worried about you, Zero."

"Look, it's not safe for you out here. Go back to the Academy and make your rounds. Who knows what the Day Class girls are up to."

"I'm not leaving you out here alone," she insisted. "Besides, it's not like I'm completely helpless. I have the Artemis Rod."

"L-"

He couldn't get a word out before a loud scream rang out, causing a cluster of birds to take off into the sky. Faster than she could blink, Zero ran toward the voice.

"Go home, Yuki!" he yelled over his shoulder.

"Wait, Zero!"

Against her better judgement, the naive brunette chased him. Branches and brambles tore at her face and uniform, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. When her lungs felt like they were about to burst, they finally arrived at a clearing. The sight was enough to make her want to throw up.

There was what looked to have been a camp-site. Items were littered around -shoes, scraps of clothes, cans, bottles of alcohol, flashlights, blankets, etc- and a fire-pit with the embers of a dying fire nestled in ash sat in the center. The horrifying aspect of it all was the shredded bodies thrown around carelessly. As though the thing responsible cared not for the lives it ended.

God, and the blood. Such a foul smell invaded poor Yuki's nose. She was assaulted by the sheer magnitude of iron that wafted through the air. Everything was bathed in the crimson liquid like a painting gone wrong. But, something did tug at the back of her mind, a brief thought along the lines of, '_this seems familiar'_, but it was gone before she could fully process its meaning.

She saw Zero's hand tightened on his pistol in either anger or disgust -she wasn't sure-. It was obvious the sight before them bothered him as well, even if she could only see his back.

"Yuki," his voice sounded strained. "Go back.."

As she opened her mouth to respond to him, a loud rustling stopped her. In the blink of an eye, the teen's arm was raised and a shot was fired into the bushes. The sound of flesh being pierced vaguely reached her ears before a deafening roar was screeched out. Whatever made that noise was definitely not human.

Zero was ready to put another round into the creature behind the leaves, almost certain it was just another level-E waiting for its next victims. Before he could pull the trigger again, however, something large and black jumped out at him, and claws tore into his shoulder like a hot knife through butter.

He yelled out and was pushed to the ground, the big thing now on top of him. His eyes went wide as he was met with a snarling snout and two glowing, red eyes. Its black fur was stained red, along with its teeth and paws. The sharp canines were the size of the teen's longest finger, and the beast, itself, was perhaps as large as a bear while its height may have reached that of a fully grown man.

As quick as lightning, the wolf of massive proportions sunk its jaws into the arm with his gun, and it shook its head like a rabid animal. Another scream tore from his throat as he was forced to release his weapon.

Like a miracle, his limb was released. A canine-like yelp escaped the monster as the metal rod struck its head. Yuki stood protectively over her classmate, ready to beat back the beast if her life depended on it.

"Are you okay?" she questioned, not taking her eyes off the wolf. Said creature was slowly circling the pair, an obvious gunshot wound visible on its right flank. It was odd that a vampire weapon had harmed it at all.

"I'll be alright," Zero bit out, clutching his injured shoulder.

"What is this thing? It doesn't seem like a normal wolf.."

"Whatever it is, it clearly was the one responsible for killing these men."

"But why?" Yuki wondered.

"It's a crazed beast bent on blood-lust. Does it need a reason?"

The wolf suddenly tilted its head back and howled loudly. Wind whipped by. The brunette wasn't able to distinguish the breeze from the cracking of twigs, but her fellow Disciplinary Committee member was. With his good hand, he reached for his gun and shot out to their left. This didn't discourage the other wolves emerging from the forest, and it didn't harm the one he had turned the barrel to.

'_Regular wolves,'_ he concluded. '_Bloody Rose won't work on them..'_

They were surrounded in minutes, gold and brown eyes watching as their seeming ringleader crouched as though it was going to pounce on them once more. What stopped the creature was a large wall of fire that separated the Cross Academy students from the black entity, which snarled and growled but stepped away from the flames.

As one of the smaller, normal wolves lept to attack Yuki, a flash of a white uniform darted past, feet landing on its head and smashing it into the ground.

Seiren jumped off the incapacitated animal, landing silently besides Kain.

"Seems like this is the thing Lord Kaname wanted us to kill," the male stated.

"It appears so," the pale violet-eyed female replied monotonously.

"Akatsuki, Seiren!" the doe-eyed Cross girl shouted, confused and relieved the Night Class students showed up.

The fur on the black wolf's back suddenly ridged up as the low snarling increased in volume and malice as its red orbs glared almost hatefully at the two newcomers. The animosity rolled off it in stifling waves as its head lowered closer to the forest floor.

Fire engulfed the light-orange haired vampire's hand as he sent another volley toward the wild beast. It moved out of the way, swiftly running toward the culprit. Seiren got in front of him and ducked under the claws that sought to bury themselves in her cheek, a hand darting out and striking the creatures side with enough force to send it flying.

A pained whine came from its throat as it struggled back to its feet. As the lithe female approached the injured wolf, others got in her way. She easily batted them aside, stead-fast on her mission to eradicate the nuisance to her lord.

"Seiren, watch out!"

Yuki's shout proceeded to catch her attention, making her turn in the opposite direction of another lunging wolf, this one brindle in color that had used the cover of trees and underbrush to conceal itself from the vampire.

Kain reached out, orange flames licking at his fingertips and engulfed the canine, burning it to a crisp. However, when the fire cleared, the biggest wolf was gone, and the remaining pack dispersed, no longer interested in holding up the four students now that their leader was away.


	2. Observe

"Will he be okay?" Yuki asked, concern clear in her reddish brown eyes.

"He'll be fine," her father soothed, placing his hands on either of her shoulders. "But he'll have to rest for a while. You should get some sleep as well. You've had a traumatic experience."

"But that wolf is still out there. It could run into town and-"

"Wolves avoid human populations, Yuki, and this one has as well. It'll be handled soon."

Sighing, the brunette nodded her head.

"Alright.. Let me know when Zero wakes up, please."

"Of course. Now off you go."

"Goodnight."

Kaien sighed and sat down in his chair behind his desk, setting his glasses aside as he stared out his large windows. So it wasn't a Level-E that was killing people, it was some sort of wolf. But, if what Yuki and the two Night Class students say is true, then it wasn't any ordinary animal. The vampire hunter gun had injured it when they only harm vampires, not to mention the size they described.

Something didn't set well with the ex-hunter. There was something that he was missing.

* * *

It was about a week later that Zero had fully recovered, and all things had returned to as they had been before. No new maulings were reported, or missing person's cases. All in all, it seemed that whatever that wolf was, it was done terrorizing small, close-by towns.

The silver-haired male was summoned to the headmaster's office during his first class. He had no idea why, unless it was about tracking the large, black wolf again. Either way, it wasn't long before he reached the large double doors.

"You wanted to see me?" he asked, opening the door without knocking.

"Ah, Zero! Please, come in!"

Standing in front of his desk was Yuki, and Kaien stood by the large window. The teen hesitated for a moment, unsure why his fellow Disciplinary Committee member was also present.

"I'm sure you're both wondering why I asked you here half-way through the school day," the blonde began. "The new Day Class student should be arriving any minute now. If you'll recall, Zero, I had you go over the paperwork a couple days ago to see if you would permit her to join."

"Right."

"I wanted you both to greet her at the gate! A new student deserves a warm welcome, don't you think?"

Zero could feel the irritation creep over him.

"Yuki can show her around by herself. Why do I have to be there?"

"Come on, Zero," said girl chastised. "It won't kill you to say hi at least."

"You go on ahead, Yuki," the blonde man said. "I need to address something with Zero."

"Huh? Uh, okay, Headmaster."

"Call me father," he sobbed before the double doors shut, signaling she had left before he even finished speaking.

As soon as he was sure the girl was far enough away, he let his childish persona drop and went straight to business.

"I want you to keep a close eye on this student. The Hunter's Association pressured me to allow her in with or without your approval." This caught the pale teen's attention. "I don't know what they're planning, but it can't be good."

"If that's the case, then why ask Yuki to be there?"

Sighing, Kaien fixed his glasses on his face.

"The new student will be staying in the Sun's female dormitories. Rules are still rules: no male students are allowed in the girls dorms," huffed the childish principle, waving a fist in the air.

A tick-mark formed on the teens head in annoyance at the man's antics. Without another word, Zero left the office. Yuki was waiting some ways down the hall. She had done her best to avoid being in hearing range so as not to eavesdrop.

"You ready?" the brunette asked, pushing off the wall she had been leaning on.

"Let's go," he grumbled, not happy with the news he had received. Did the Hunter's Society not trust him to resist his urges any longer? Or was there another reason for this student's transfer?

Yuki talked about her day as they made their way to the front gates, but the lavender-eyed boy ignored her ranting. He thought about the wolf and their encounter. Maybe she was here to hunt it after he had failed?

"We're here!"

The Cross girl's cheery words broke him out of his deep thinking, causing him to look up. The wrought iron fence in clear view, along with a sleek grey car. Standing on the outside of school grounds stood a girl roughly their age.

Her hair, which was so black that it looked to be tinted blue, was only partially put up with two strands framing either side of her sharp face with tufts hanging in front of her ears as well. Her almond-shaped eyes bore into their forms, just as bright and almost translucent as tree sap. She wore a tan shirt with a popped collar with a red tank top underneath. A small tooth poked out of the side of her frown like one would see from a displeased cat, and a thin, black cord was wrapped around her throat, not even an inch thick. A small, white square bandage was placed where her shoulder and neck met. It was only upon further inspection did Zero realize her narrowed gaze was on him, clear distaste apparent.

As the vehicle pulled away, leaving the blue jean-clad female with her luggage, she placed her hand on her hip in a rather sassy manner.

"Are you just going to stand there all day gawking?"

Her tone, like her visage, was harsh, like she had some grudge against the both of them. This made the two Disciplinary Committee members uncomfortable. Trying to dispel the tension, Yuki opened the gates and smiled, albeit nervously.

"O-of course! You must be Asae*****! Right this way! There's so much to show you!"

"I'll pass," came the clipped reply. She raised a dismissive hand directed at the Cross girl as she walked past the two of them.

"Wait! You don't know where you'll be stayi-"

"I was shown a map of the grounds already. And, if I have any trouble, I'll just follow my gut." Upon the word '_gut_', she vaguely gestured to her own face. "It's never failed me before. Send the paperwork to my room. Other than that, don't bother me."

With those parting words, the ravenette continued on, carrying her luggage without a problem in the direction of the Sun Dorms. The brunette and silver-haired teen were left to themselves, both stunned by her attitude and more-than-cold reception.

"She's colder than you are, Zero."

With a '_hmp'_, said hunter turned around and made his own way back to the main campus. Classes were almost over, and it would be time for them to head to the Moon Dormitories in order to keep the Day Class girls in check.

* * *

"Don't push!"

"Hey!"

"Alright, everyone! Step back! It's way past curfew for all you Day Class students, so turn around and go back to your dorms!"

Yuki stood in front of a large crowd of female students, all wearing the signature black uniform with white stripes. They were crowded in front of the other part of campus, the one that they were supposed to be banned from entering. Asae observed what was transpiring from a distance, curious.

"We can see what you're trying to do, Yuki. It's so obvious. You just want to keep all the Night Class students to yourself!"

"Yeah! You're taking advantage of the fact that you're the headmaster's daughter!"

"That's not true! I'm on the Disciplinary Committee!"

Suddenly, the wall of girls surged forward, startling the girl. She tried to push them all back, shouting a 'no' that went unheard by the throngs of students. The brunette gasped as the grandiose gates swung open.

"I'm.. too late aggaaainnn," she whined.

The ravenette watched as the females lined up on either side of the walkway, much calmer than they had been moments prior. Defeated, the single girl moved out of the way.

"Please proceed…"

The mob went back to chattering, seeming to be in awe of those who exited the Moon Dorms. Amber eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. Her relaxed position leaning against a tree suddenly stiffening.

"Good morning, girls!" greeted a blonde male. "I could hear you loud and clear from the dorms! You're all looking quite cute today!"

Yuki sulked.

"Oh, look. It's Idol, I mean, Aido!"

"Hhiiii!"

"Hanabusa," chided the orange one.

"Oh, relax! You're so stiff, Akatsuki!"

"Wild! Over here!"

"Hello, Akatsuki!"

The blue-eyed male pointed his finger towards the last girl who spoke like he was holding a gun and winked. This action made the amber-gazed girl want to roll her eyes.

'_So childish..'_

It made the teen faint dramatically, like it was something straight out of a sit-com.

"Oh.."

"I wanna be shot, too!"

The girls surged forward and surrounded the male, knocking poor Yuki over in the process to be completely ignored. At least, for the first few moments.

"Yuki. Is everything alright?"

One of the taller students clad in the inverse uniforms leaned down and offered a hand toward the Cross girl. He rested it on her shoulder when she didn't accept it, seeming to be in thought.

"I'm fine, Kaname."

"Thank you for all your help."

Y-yeah, sure," she stuttered before becoming aware of the malicious auras behind her. This made her stand up straight.

"That's what the Disciplinary Committee does!"

"When you act reserved like this, I feel a bit lonely."

"Uh, I'm sorry! But I guess it's because you're the one who came and saved my life that day, Kaname."

He placed his hand on her head and affectionately ruffled her hair as she blushed.

"Don't worry about that anymore. That was so long ago."

As soon as his hand traveled down to her cheek, someone grabbed his wrist and yanked it away.

"Zero!"

"Your class has begun, Kaname," he stated coolly. "You should go now."

He let the other male's wrist go.

"You're so scary," the brown eyed male mocked, walking away. "Mr. Disciplinary Committee."

"Uhm, Kaname.."

Two girls shyly approached the white clad students, one offering him a rose while the other held a blue envelope.

"Would you please accept this?.."

"Thank you."

"You all need to get back to your dorms right now!" shouted Zero.

The girls screamed and scampered off.

"Every day they're out here, screaming and throwing themselves at-"

He was interrupted by the teen punching his side repeatedly.

"Why are you acting cocky, you big jerk? You're late! It's our job as the Disciplinary Committee to set an example!"

"Oh, yeah? Well, I could say the same thing about you! You're so obvious, it's pathetic."

"Huh?"

"Listen, it's none of my business if you like that guy or not. But you do know, right?"

Sadly, she looked down at the ground.

"Oh, shut up.. Of course I know. I know that they're..."

"Why, hello there, Seiren."

"I will take that, Lord Kaname."

"Thank you."

Asae watched as the group of Night Class students walked away, nose wrinkled as she glared hatefully in their direction.

"Tsk… Nothing but bloody-"

'_**That they're… completely different from us.'**_

The rose seemed to shrivel up and decay in his hand before he passed it off to his associate.

"_-_vampires.."

'_**I'm well aware of that…'**_

* * *

***- **_安佐恵 ～ __Asae _

_**Meaning:**_ _**"**__**安**__**" is restful.**__**"**__**佐**__**" is help someone**__**"**__**恵**__**" is blessed**_


	3. Fangs

Bored eyes watched the scene inside the headmaster's office. Arms lazily cross over her chest as she listens in on the conversation inside. It was nothing she hadn't been briefed on.

"'_Pacifist ideology'_?" she questioned, a mirthless grin crossing her lips. "'_Bring an end to the dark, shared history between vampires and humans'_? '_Bring harmony between our species'_?"

As the Level-E left the office, Asae turned her back to the two humans left in the room. She deftly jumped from the upper tree's branch and landed easily into a crouch. Standing up, she dusted off her school uniform. Her ears perked as she heard the window above her open. She barely had time to hide before the brunette teen landed on the ground.

'_Why not?'_ the ravenette girl thought, silently following her as she ran. It didn't seem like she had any one destination in mind. However, when she stopped and leaned against an archway, the amber-eyed teen narrowed her gaze. '_Of course _they _would be out at this hour.'_

"Oh, hello," the blonde greeted. "Thank you, for all your hard work."

After a quick bow, she ran off once more.

"Yuki is very interesting. There's not a single girl in the night class like her."

"No. And, for someone so used to the dark," the taller male started, eyes glowing red. She was sure he was looking straight at herself as he spoke. "She's rather blind in sight."

"You know, everyone likes living here, but.. Don't forget. Because of a request we received from you, a Pureblood, we're abiding by the rules of the humans, but just barely."

"I know that, Ichijo."

Asae scowled as Kaname walked away. She had enough of their foul scent, so she took off after Yuki. She wanted to know the Disciplinary Committees' schedule and route. She needed that information.

* * *

Nothing. Asae had learnt absolutely nothing new the night before. She tapped her pencil with irritation as she glared at the sleeping brunette who was holding up the class lesson. How could such a naive girl be in charge of all these students' safety? Any one of those creatures could easily overpower her on her own. But, then again..

Her golden eyes flitted over to the silver-haired boy who was also napping up in the corner of the room.

She guessed that the girl wasn't _alone_ per se, but she wasn't in good company. The Hunter's Association had warned her about what he was, what he would become. And, when the time came that he could no longer quell his thirst, Yuki would likely be the first he would drink from. And who would save her, then?

Of course, that was only if he would live that long. That was one of her many tasks assigned to her: assess Kiryu's threat level, terminate if necessary. A mission she would be pleased to handle.

* * *

"Hold on, Zero! What are you doing?"

Yuki was pulled away by her pale peer, both leaving the vampires to tend to the girls and those of their kind that broke the rules. As soon as they were far enough away, those auburn eyes turned to the trees.

"You can come out now," Kaname stated.

Asae stepped clear of her cover, nose wrinkled in disgust.

"I thought I smelled something atrocious."

"Heh, I could say the same thing, _vampire_."

The two held each other's gaze, both very clearly hating who they were looking at. The blonde male turned to his orange-haired acquaintance.

"Who's that?"

"I don't know, but it doesn't look like Lord Kaname likes her.."

"What business do you have here?"

Asae smirked. "Wouldn't you like to know?" Her expression returned to its serious countenance. "His shot may have missed the stupid one, but I promise that if I had gotten to him first, there would be no doubt of his demise. Keep your _kind_ in check, or the Hunter's Association will do it for you."

And then she was gone.

Hanabusa seethed. "Who does she think she is?! She can't threaten Lord Kaname like that! I'll ki- eh.."

His rant trailed off as the Pureblood shot him a warning stare, making him gulp and remember he had royally pissed the head vampire off. His punishment wouldn't be kind.

* * *

_**Short chapter, but I promise a longer one next time! Hope you are enjoying.**_


	4. Howl

"Are you all set?"

"Of course! They're home-made!"

"Who're you giving it to?"

"Kaname."

This sparked laughter and giggling from the group of girls.

"Everybody's so excited."

"That's because they're getting ready for St. Xocolatl's Day tomorrow," Yuki explained to her friend.

"All girls go around, giving chocolate to the boys who they have crushes on to proclaim their love for them. I don't get it. It's completely absurd! Has everyone forgotten that this is a school of higher learning?! I am against it in every way, shape, and form."

"You know, Class Rep, you might get chocolates, too," Sayori pointed out.

He gasped and seemed to daydream.

"Yeah, but we're not going to get anything, anyway," sulked one boy.

"Yeah! It's all going to go to those Night Class guys!"

"Hey, Yori, are you giving chocolates to anyone this year?"

"Hm? No, not interested. What about you?"

"Uh? No, I don't think so."

"Hmm.. So, then, what's that?"

"Ah? Oh, this, here? This doesn't mean anything!"

"Then, what's it for?"

"Uh.."

"I may be wrong, but I believe someone behind us is glaring at you."

"You're a member of the Disciplinary Committee, yet you're giving him that?"

"Ah, no! This would just be a token of my appreciation to someone I'm indebted to. I haven't even decided if I'm gonna give it to him yet. Let it go.."

"What? Zero?!"

Someone giggled.

"Oh, yeah! I almost forgot! We have Zero!"

"Right! Top of the brain curve and a jock! You're our only hope, Zero. Get some for us, too!"

Said male turned a menacing glare towards the other student who spoke to him.

"It's probably best if you don't.."

"Yeah.. Good idea… Nevermind."

"What's St. Xocolatl's Day?"

"What?! Asae, you've never heard of St. Xocolatl's Day?!"

"Have you been living under a rock?" another girl accused.

"I guess you could say that," the ravenette stated, chin resting in her palm in boredom. "My guardians didn't really teach me about holidays, or anything much about the outside world."

"Oh, yeah. You were home-schooled, right?"

She nodded.

"No holidays? Then when did you get breaks from school?"

The teen in question shrugged. She couldn't be bothered to feign fake regret about lost opportunities for fun. She was trained for one thing, and anything else was deemed unimportant for her to learn about.

In truth, there was much she didn't know, and not a lot that she wanted to discover. She only agreed to leave her 'home' when it was requested of her to do so by higher-ups. If they had never contacted her and her guardians, she could have very well stayed there all her life.

Asae let her eyes wander to the window, now ignoring the gaggle of girls trying to explain the reason behind the ridiculous celebration. She'd much rather be out in the sun than in the stuffy classroom.

* * *

The moon hung low in the sky as it made its slow ascent into the stars above. Asae sat in the branches of one of the taller trees toward the outskirt of the Academy grounds. She was sure the Disciplinary Committee was somewhere else, so she was comfortable, but not at ease. How could she relax knowing a class full of vampires was taking place on the same soil as she was?

Her face was looking up, basking in the silver light. Unable to help herself, she cupped her hands over her mouth, tilted her head back, and let out a low, elongated howl. Off in the distance, roughly a minute after her's ended, another picked up. She smiled almost fondly at the sound. Several more howls chorused in, all unique in their own right. How she missed running among her friends.

Kaname looked outside the classroom windows, his hearing easily picking up on all the noise from the wolves. Undoubtedly, some of the other Night Class students did as well, but he didn't bother to listen to their off-hand comments about how rowdy the animals were that night. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew what kicked up their activity, and he didn't like it.

* * *

It was disgusting, the way that the human girls lined up to give the Night Class chocolates and letters, like they were all celebrities instead of the monsters that they were. Asae couldn't stomach watching any of it, especially the way that Cross girl acted around the _Pureblood_, knowing exactly what he was. How could she proudly declare herself human whilst remaining infatuated like a child?

Unable to stomach much more, the huntress left the scene. Perhaps she was just anxious from being in a large cage. She would take the weekend to bask in the lack of students, and maybe that would settle her nerves. She hated crowds. The smells and sounds bothered her senses.

* * *

She could see it, Zero's reasons for being so reckless. He picked a fight with a majority of the Night Class seemingly out of nowhere. She didn't plan on stepping in, wanting to examine how they fought, to find out their own special powers, but that damn Yuki showed up again, making them leave before anything more than a mere flip occurred. She was really starting to annoy Asae.

Now, however, with how the Kiryu boy was acting, she would have to keep a closer eye on him. It appeared he was de-evolving already. At least something was happening to keep her entertained.

* * *

Cries and wails erupt from dorm to dorm as Yuki went around and took banned items from the girls. A lot of them were angry and upset at the Cross teen, blaming her when she was just doing as told.

Eventually, she got to Asae's room, hailing a cart full of items.

"Alright, I know you haven't been here long, but it's inspection time."

The huntress peered at her via the crack between the door and the frame.

"...fine."

She moved aside and let the Disciplinary member inside. The room was dark, and the bed was so well-made that it didn't even look used. Which would be absurd, as where else would the ravenette sleep in Yuki's mind?

"It's so neat and tidy," she commented, looking around.

Clothes were hung properly, and some were folded in the drawer. Other than that, there seemed to be no other items belonging to the new student. It shocked Yuki how bare and impersonal the room appeared. Did she really bring nothing else from home with her?

Upon having nothing else to search, the brunette went to open the bottom drawer of the nightstand when her wrist was grabbed. Gasping softly, brown eyes looked up to meet pools of hardened tree sap.

"That's enough."

"Uh, but I, I have to check everywhere," she tried to explain.

"I have a note. From my guardians, and the Headmaster. For what you find in there."

She released her arm and took a step back, holding out a paper for the other to read.

Yuki hesitated but did as she was silently told, taking the paper to examine.

It basically said that she was permitted to have the item for self-defense due to 'special circumstances', and it was signed by three people. She assumed two were her parents' while the last did, indeed, belong to Headmaster Cross.

Yuki opened the drawer and, low-and-behold, a knife sat. It was sheathed in a leather cover which also had a harness attached. This meant it was made to be worn, much like how the Guardian had her Artemis Rod. It was weird for her adoptive father to allow a human student to keep weapons, as they were banned from everyone, including the vampires. But, she had to abide by his wishes. He signed the document, so he knew she had it. Maybe she'd ask him later.

"Right.. I'm sorry. I'll be out of your way now."

Bowing, the Disciplinary Committee member left, not wanting to stay around the cold girl any longer. She would check with the headmaster just in case the signature was forged, to be safe.

Asae watched as her dorm door was shut with a huff. It wasn't like she had anything to hide. She would have just preferred that no one knew about her hunter's weapon so that it would be a secret.

"Oh well.. So long as she doesn't blab, no one else will learn about it."

* * *

"Alright, class, time to begin. Everyone take your seats."

"Okay!"

Quiet suddenly, Yuki stood up from her desk and took off running.

"Huh? Hey, Cross! Where are you going? Hey!"

Asae watched, very aware that Zero wasn't in class, and of the scent of blood the night before.

'_Did she.. not know?'_

* * *

"To be honest, I didn't think you'd accept my invitation, Headmaster Cross. How is the Kiryu boy these days? I have to think, by now, he's becoming quite a handful."

"Actually, no. Kiryu remains quite stable. The Hunter's Association has nothing at all to know about. I'm disappointed you'd assume there _would be_ a problem at Cross Academy."

"I think I'll wait for someone else's report to determine whether or not that's true."

"Not only is there Asae, but I've sent _him _to check on things. For a second opinion, of course. If he senses any danger at all, he will show no mercy to the person responsible for creating such peril."

* * *

Asae's nose twitched as she bolted out of the school building. A wide smile crossed her face as she ran up to the tall man in a tan trench coat and eye-patch. As soon as she was close enough, however, his hand lashed out and grabbed her arm, and he flipped her over his shoulder.

Taken aback, she managed to twist just right to land on her feet instead of her back, and she kicked out at his gut in return. He caught her ankle and held it for a moment before dropping it.

The ravenette pouted and stood, brushing off her skirt.

"I haven't seen you in a while, and this is how you greet me? So rude."

"Tsk, you shouldn't let your guard down, squirt. We're on duty."

The teen nodded.

"Alright, Mr. Yagari."

* * *

_**Two uploads in one day since I feel motivated. It's longer, like I said.**_


	5. Think

**/** _**\- means the beginning or the end of a flashback**_

* * *

Asae wondered around campus grounds after the sun had set. It was against the school's rules for Day Class students to be out after dark, but she just hated being cooped up inside at night. She wanted to roam around, and she wasn't going to let a push-over and vampire tell her otherwise.

Although, with that mindset, she also should have expected to be caught at some point.

Thinking the coast had been clear, she had hopped up into another tree and proceeded to howl out her loneliness to the wolves beyond campus. Hopefully, _he_ would hear her from wherever he may be.

Once she was done with her song, the ravenette jumped down and began to walk, wanting to travel through the thick trees that provided cover. The sound of footsteps made her ears perk as she halted in her step.

"Why are you here?" Zero questioned, lilac eyes narrowed suspiciously at her.

"To take a walk," Asae sassed back.

"You know that's not what I meant. Why did the Hunter's Association send you here?"

Finally deciding to face the male, she turned her body only half-way so that she could see him.

"That's none of your business."

She could tell by the tightening of his jaw that he was gritting his teeth.

"Who are you?"

**/**

"_Who are you?"_

_A brunette woman examined the child before her. She looked beyond pale with unruly black locks that covered her face and draped down her back in tangled knots. The only clothes she wore was a white, thin dress similar to a hospital gown. Her feet were bare, and bandages were wrapped around just about all over her exposed skin, including her neck._

_The little girl took a step back, clutching the large rabbit toy to her chest. She didn't understand the question, so she shook her head no._

_The woman kneeled down to the girl's height to be less threatening, holding a hand out to show she meant no harm._

"_What do they call you?" she tried again, tone kind, something the child had never heard before._

_This scared her more, but she took hesitant steps closer. She had been taught that when being beckoned forward, it was best not to fight. She would get needles -or worse, fangs- as punishment._

"_187," came the quiet reply._

_A frown overtook the woman's olive face. She didn't have a name? How cruel. Before she could respond, something attacked the wire grate that imprisoned it next to the seeming cell the girl had been kept in. The brunette moved the girl behind herself and away from the cage._

"_What is that?!"_

_A smile happily spread over hidden cheeks as pointed a small finger._

"_That's..!"_

**/**

Asae turned her back to the Kiryu male once more, not wanting to continue the argument.

"Who am I?" she asked while walking away. "That isn't your concern."

* * *

When Asae got to class, the students were much louder than they usually were. It irritated her ears, and made her grumpy mood even worse. She hadn't slept at all the night before due to memories replaying over and over again. She's used to having only a few hours of rest, but none was still taxing on her body and mind.

It seemed someone had overslept. Yuki and her friend Sayori burst into the room.

"Safe!" the brunette cheered as the bell rang only seconds after they made it. "Uh? Did something happen?"

"Didn't you hear, Yuki? We're getting a new Ethics lecturer today!"

"Huh? But, why now?"

"I don't know, but I just saw him!"

In walked their new teacher, and the girl who had been speaking blushed and had to be pulled to her seat.

"Seems word of my arrival proceeded me. The name's Toga Yagari, and I will be your new teacher. Nice to meet you."

"He's pretty cool for a teacher."

"Mm. Yeah, I guess, but.."

"Alright, then. Are there any questions?"

"Professor, are you single?"

"I am."

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

"You're fond of the personal questions, aren't you?"

Students began shouting and asking him things without raising their hands all at once, every one of them wanting their's answered for childish reasons.

"Come on!" The class rep shouted over the din. "Let's have some order here! If you want to ask this man a question, raise your hand first! You're up!"

"That patch you're wearing.. Is that a new fashion trend?"

Asae's head tilted down so that her bangs covered her eyes, and Zero stood up and began to leave the classroom.

"Zero?" Yuki said with concern.

"Um, sir, as part of the Disciplinary Committee, I'll go bring him back!"

Once she left, he spoke again.

"This was the cost I had to pay to save someone's life."

* * *

The ravenette glared in the direction of the Moon Dorm. She could sense them, all of the vampires mingling about among one another. How could Yagari stand being in the same vicinity of so many of those beasts? Perhaps he didn't know. It's not like his nose worked the same way her's did.  
Either way, the teen had had enough of their stench. It was suffocating. She couldn't go about howling with so many ears about.

The ravenette made her way to the fountain. She wanted to check to see if it was still where she put it. As she walked, she couldn't help but think of how she came into possession of her new weapon.

**/**

"_Alright, Mr. Yagori," Asae relented. "Why are you here? Am I being called away again?"_

"_No. But I was told to give you this while I was here."_

_He pulled something out from in his trench coat, and placed it gingerly in her hands so it wouldn't fire. Her eyes widened at the firearm now laying in her palms._

"_Don't worry," he soothed, seeing her expression. "It's not a real gun. They still don't want to kill him. They're intent that he gets caught soon, though. He's started again."_

_She nodded her head, putting the gun where no one would see it while walking by._

"_Hide it somewhere it won't be found. I won't take any responsibility if you get caught with it."_

"_Right.."_

**/**

She knew it was buried safely in a plastic baggy so that rain or snow wouldn't harm the weapon. It was just off the path leading to the swan fountain, certain she wouldn't forget its placement. She had to find him. The Hunter's Association might grow weary with the more lives he takes. They may decide it would be best to eradicate him if she takes too long.

Getting down on her knees, she moved the foot-wide rock to the side and dug a bit into the soft dirt. Once she came across plastic, she dusted away the remaining earth and sighed.

"Still here.. Good."

Her hands gripped onto the gun as she held it close to her chest.

"I'll find you, Yěmán.."

A gunshot rang out, causing her to quickly look in the direction. The smell of blood hit her next. Had one of the vampires done something? Had it been Mr. Yagori? As quick as she could, Asae re-buried the gun and ran off toward the sound.

What she saw was surprising but not too so. Her teacher stood, shotgun barrel pointed at Zero in the fountain with Yuki clutching onto the bleeding male. She didn't make herself known, knowing the adult could handle his own with one Level-E.

"Mr. Yagori, listen," the brunette female said. "It's clear to me that you and Zero have a connection to each other that I don't know anything about. But I will not let you decide Zero's fate for him! I will not let you kill him!"

"Are you saying that he isn't a Level-E yet?"

"Yuki.." Zero pushed her away a bit. "It's okay."

Suddenly, the Headmaster ran toward them all.

"You took things too far! I thought there might be a problem, and look! This is a perfect example of why I hate vampire hunters!"

Toga took his gun with a 'hmp', not at all impressed by the blonde male's attitude.

"And how much longer are you going to keep a girl in cold water? You must be freezing. Here, grab my hand." Both students got out of the water themselves, completely ignoring the man. "Or not.."

Yuki stood up and stared harshly at the blue-eyed male.

"I want to know now. Who are you?"

"When Zero was training to be a vampire hunter, I was his mentor. Right, Zero?"

"It's true."

"You really are the adoptive daughter of that silly twit. Zero was about to attack you, yet you consider me as your enemy."

"I'll take over from here," Kaien said. "Yuki, go back to the dorm."

Asae frowned, moving back silently through the trees to avoid getting into trouble.


	6. Tame

Asae glared down at the man who stood at the gate. He wore a black trench coat, had wheat blonde hair, and icy blue eyes, not to mention a full beard. The elder vampire looked up and saw her frowning face, a smirk taking hold of his lips.

"It's you," she sneered, the malice rolling off her tense form.

"Ah, if it isn't the younger sibling," he said. "Tell me, how have you enjoyed your freedom thus far?"

A snarl burned the back of the ravenete's throat, her canines bared for him to see. A more feral look overcame her face, showcasing her displeasure. He held his hands up in mock surrender. It was obvious he thought of her as no real threat. Even his tone was dripping with patronization.

"Easy, little one. You don't want to end up like your brother, do you?"

He gazed up at her with a sly little grin. The girl bristled all the more, her nails digging through her uniform and pierced the skin of her arms.

"How dare you?!-"

"This was fun," he interrupted, walking past her carelessly. "We should chat again soon. But I'm afraid I have more pressing matters to tend to than babysitting a mangy mutt."

Amber eyes burned into his back as she did her best to reign in her temper. It was all she could do to keep from jumping down and tearing out his throat, from using her hunter's knife to pierce his evident black heart. She wanted his blood on her hands, to be the cause of his demise, but she could do nothing.

Not by herself, at least.

Scowl set deep into her expression, the pale girl jumped down and ran off, eager to escape the vampire's scent. It only brought back unnecessary memories.

* * *

There was no sleeping that night. Even nestled in the depths of the woods outside of Cross Academy, Asae could find no comfort after her brief run-in with Asato Ichijo. His face, his smell, his voice. It all brought out a deep, childish fear.

A fear of vampires she had not yet managed to quell. Perhaps it was her fright that made her so angry at them. Although, their prior treatment of her and her brother was also to blame.

Her brother…

That, too, was a sensitive topic to the girl. It may not have been long in terms of their life, but she desperately missed her dear sibling. She felt so weak and useless the day he disappeared. It was her own fault that he became..

The ravenette shook her head, trying to stop herself from thinking too much. It wasn't her that caused the incident. It was that damn vampire.

If one word could be used to describe all the trouble and pain in their lives, it would be _vampire._ Such horrible creatures. Her delicate hand brushed her neck where the bandage had remained. It was gone now, but even still. She could practically feel those fangs buried in her skin.

A soft sigh escaped past her lips as she gazed up toward the moon. It wasn't nearly full, which only added to her low mood. A low, mournful howl rumbled from some distance off, and she turned her head to get a better reading on it. Sadly, it was not from who she was hoping for. She replied to it still, however, eager for some much needed company.

It took some time, but a wolf stepped out from the brush and sat several feet away, its dark brown eyes looking deeply into her own.

She held out a hand and motioned it closer, satisfied as the beautiful creature sat beside her, the soft fur brushing her hand. She placed a palm on the wolf's head and pet her. This received a small huff of appreciation.

"Such a lovely girl," she praised. "Strong and free. What are you doing out by yourself?"

She got no answer, as expected, but she didn't mind. Just having someone there was enough to help her feel better.

Asae closed her eyes and leaned back against the tree. Maybe now she could catch a couple hour's worth of sleep.

* * *

The morning sun seeped through the canopy of the leaves and shun on the black-haired girl. She awoke and yawned, stretching her arms out. It came as no surprise when she made contact with warm fur beside her. It seemed the wolf had taken it upon herself to curl protectively around her as they slept.

Smiling, she pet the back of the she-wolf.

"I guess I don't have to go to class today, hm?"

The only response she got was a snout nuzzling into her arm. Giggling, the girl got up and brushed the dirt and grass off her uniform.

"Let's take a walk."

The canine got up and shook off its coat, silently confirming that it would follow her. Nodding, the hunter led the way further into the trees. She let her mind wander as her legs carried her of their own accord.

_**/**_

'_But he was there! I saw him!" cried the young child, long tresses covering her outraged eyes._

_The man with the light purple hair fanned himself. A brunette woman placed a soothing hand onto the little child's shoulder._

"_That's impossible. The Senate was here discussing the peace treaty between humans and vampires. You must be mistaking him for someone else."_

"_I know what I saw," she insisted, looking up at her. "He was there, and he hurt big brother! You can't let him get away with it!"_

"_I'm afraid the poor child is traumatized, Ichio," the feminine male said, shaking his head. "You see, all the vampires she's known put her and her sibling through a rough time. I'm sure she'll come to understand that not all of you are like that."_

_The blonde man nodded, orbs of ice trained onto the girl._

"_It is alright. I understand how scared she must be to see one of my kind after such horrible experiences. I hope her recovery process is smoother than it has been."_

_Gritting her teeth, the girl glared at the creature before her. She knew it had been him that day in the facility. It had to be. No one else smelled the way he did. Everyone's scent was different, even familial smells. Something in the way of his curled lip let her know he knew she knew. He was teasing her about not being believed. How did they not get that vampires were all monsters?_

_**/**_

They had walked for some time, and Asae only snapped out of her thoughts upon smelling a large body of freshwater nearby. She looked up only to see a flowing river cutting through the landscape. The she-wolf had leaned down to drink the refreshing liquid.

The teen got down and cupped her hands, sipping the water to refresh her parched throat. She happened to catch a glimpse of the wolf in the water out of the corner of her eye. She may have grey and brown fur, but in her mind, she could very easily see it as black.

'_Black fur…'_

_**/**_

"_Are you sure?" the young girl looked up at the woman who saved her, not quite certain about her suggestion._

_The woman smiled, the skin around her blue eyes crinkling._

"_Of course. He listens to you, right? I'll be right here in case anything happens."_

_Hesitantly, the child nodded, still frowning with worry. She stepped forward and reached for the lock on the pen. Her hand trembled before grasping the cool metal and pressing down on the handle. It opened and she slowly stepped inside. Everything was dark save the small sliver of light seeping through the doorway._

_Red eyes peered at her from one of the corners furthest away, and a growl started. Gulping, she took shaky steps forward._

"_It's me," she said, trying to adopt the same tone the woman gave to her. "We haven't seen each other since we left the vampires.. but it's me, big brother."_

_A wolf emerged from the shadows, head lowered defensively. The fur along the ridge of his back was on-end, his hackles raised and teeth bared. He gave a warning bark, saliva dripping off sharp canines._

_The small child bit her lip. He was just as tall as she was, and weighed more than her. If he had wanted, his claws could tear right through her as though she were mere soggy paper._

_She wasn't sure if he was mad with her. From his point of view, she had let the brunette lady incapacitate him, but it had been for the woman's safety, as he wouldn't let her help him without trying to take her arm off. She now sported a nice cast around her left arm because of it._

_The tiny girl shook her head slightly to dispel those ideas. He was her brother, and she only wanted him to be safe. So, she pressed on and approached._

"_I wanted to see you sooner, but the hunters wanted to understand what we went through.. I didn't leave you."_

_She reached out her tiny hand, wanting to rest it on his nose in a reassuring manner, but the wolf pulled back, giving a warning snap of his jaws. She pulled her hand to her chest protectively, not wanting it bitten off._

_She couldn't keep her body from trembling anymore. When had she gotten so scared of her brother? Why was she afraid? Tears pooled into her amber eyes, unseen until they crested her chin and fell to the ground._

_The snarling stopped, the rigid posture of the beast seeming to slacken. Its tail went from alert to low, and it took a step forward. Giving a whimper, she closed her eyes tightly and braced for some sort of pain to befall her._

_A sort of whine escaped her brother as his ears pinned back. A wet nose pushed against the child inquisitively, sniffing for injury._

'Why are you crying?' _he seemed to ask._

_Slowly, she pried her eyelids apart and looked at the black wolf. His head was cocked to one side as he sat before her, waiting for her to do something. More tears rushed out of her as she sniffled._

"_Big brother!" she cried, throwing her arms around his neck and burying her face into him._

_A rumble came from him as he allowed himself to be held. The brunette smiled at the heartwarming scene, glad that the seemingly un-tamable beast could, in fact, be docile._

_**/**_

Asae tore her eyes away from the reflection in the water. When did she get so caught up with her past?

Giving a mirthless laugh, the ravenette turned back the way they came.

"I should get to class.. Maybe that will keep me occupied."

She bid the she-wolf farewell and headed back to Cross Academy, hoping to push her memories away until it came time for her to look for her brother once more, in the shadows of the night.

* * *

_**Yěmán - **__**野蛮 **__**\- brutal, savage, wild, uncivilized, feral, primitive, untamed**_


	7. Maria Kurenai

It was bright out, and Asae would be lying if she said the sunlight didn't bother her eyes to a degree. Although she supposed it always had, but sunny days like this were always the worst.

It was between classes for the Day students, and most of them lingered around outside the quad in groups, talking amongst themselves. The ravenette was taking refuge under the arched walkway, reading a book to pass the time. Her ears picked up others' conversations without her wishing to, and so the loud yell of the Class Representative was a siren blast over the causal din.

"I'LL HOLD A GRUDGE AGAINST YOU FOR LIIIFFEE!" he hollered as he ran past.

Blinking in confusion, amber orbs looked away from the pages to figure out why he would shout such a thing, and at whom. It wasn't but a couple moments before her nose twitched, then her ears caught up to the smell.

"Hey, you can't go that way! The Day Class is still in session!"

Her eyes narrowed as she closed her book, hackles automatically tensing.

"Maria!"

"Don't worry!" a light voice chimed. "I just want to look at the cafe terrace!"

"Hey! That's far enough!"

The girl giggled as she was chased by the blonde vampire. They ran by, leaving the girls to chatter excitedly about the Night Class students. When their talk turned to screams, Asae snarled silently. It was the _other _one, the vampire who attacked the female students and the girl Guardian, Yuki.

"Yuki! Good afternoon. This is the second time we've met during the day."

He then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into an embrace.

"Aido, what are you doing?!"

The pale teen was able to tell he whispered something to her, but she couldn't hear it over the outraged cries of the fangirls around them. With a disgusted curl of her lip, said ravenette stalked off, eager to find an area that didn't smell like those creatures.

* * *

Asae was leaving the building that shared as both Day and Night Class's classrooms when she stopped.

"You can stop giggling," she said, tone flat.

"How long have you heard me?" asked the petite female, walking out from the shadows of the trees. They weren't too far from the school, but far enough that the normal students wouldn't intrude. It was a fine spot to confront her, which is why she chose to speak only then.

"The entire time."

"Wow. I shouldn't be surprised, though, but I've never met one of you before. This is so fun! What else are you capable of?" She twirled a strand of silver hair like an innocent child, but she was far from that.

Children who are naive and harmless don't drink human blood.

"That's none of your concern," was her curt answer.

"If I've overstepped my boundaries, I'm sorry. I'm not good at holding a conversation. What does one usually talk about with their friends?"

Asae turned and gave her a hard glare, her hate overly clear. Venom dripped from every word she choked out.

"We. Are. _Not_. Friends. I'll never befriend one of _your kind_."

"'_One of my kind'_?" Her voice was surprisingly more mature, and definitely different from before. "Aren't you the cheap knock-off of _us_?"

The hunter could feel her body tense as she couldn't help but shout.

"I am **nothing** like you!"

A sly smirk danced on fair lips as she tilted her head to the side. Her hair curtained part of her face because of this.

"Oh, I beg to differ. Not everyone knows about your species. It's such a well-kept secret, only if you don't know the right people~" She brought a finger up to her mouth, resting it on her lower lip. "With those cruel tests, they managed to produce all those creatures. They were mindless, if I'm not mistaken, and killed off once they were no longer needed. And yet, here you are~ I must say, I'm curious to know all about you~"

The taller female grit her teeth, hands balled into fists as her body shook in rage. Upon seeing her reaction, Maria giggled once more, eyes closing as she did so. They both heard Takuma shout for the vampire, causing her to frown only a moment, then she smiled, and her voice was back to that higher-pitched one.

"I have to go, it seems. See you around~"

Waving like they were best buds, the blood-sucking vampire ran toward the Night Class's Vice President, leaving her behind to seethe.

* * *

_**I know this is extremely short, and I'm sorry. I'm exhausted from work and doc appointments. I'll try to make the next one longer.**_


End file.
